The History of Fīrūz Shāh (Baranī) 1.19

1.19

Four or five years after the accession of the Sultán, Sher Khán, his cousin, a distinguished Khán, who had been a great barrier to the inroads of the Mughals, departed this life. I have heard from reliable sources that the Khan did not come to Dehli, and that the Sultan caused him to be poisoned. A grand tomb was erected to his memory at Bhatnir. He was one of the most distinguished and respected of the Forty Shamsi slaves, all of whom bore the title of Khan. He repaired the forts of Bhatinda and Bhatnir, and held charge of the districts of Sannam, Lahor, Dipalpur, and other territories exposed to the inroads of the Mughals. He maintained several thousand horse, and had many times utterly routed the Mughals. He had caused the khutba to be read in the name of the Sultan Nasiru-d din at Ghazni, and the terror of his name and the greatness of his power deterred the Mughals from assailing the frontiers of Hindustan. But notwithstanding his services, he felt a strong apprehension that there was an intention to get rid of all the old Shamsi slaves upon some pretext or other, so he kept away from Dehli. He did not even come there when Sultan Balban succeeded, and so the Sultan, although the Khan was his cousin, caused him to be poisoned. After his death the Sultan bestowed Samana and Sannam on Tamar Khan, who also was one of the Forty Shamsi slaves. The other possessions of the late Khan were given to other noblemen.